Henryetta Lions Club gathered for its Oct. 23 meeting at The Shack 2.0, where members enjoyed fellowship, community updates and an inspiring presentation by Henryetta High School Cross Country and Track Coach Gillispie.
The meeting, presided over by Lion President Ashley Morris, included members Bob Fowler, LouAnn Smith, Donnie Smith, G. Steve Rainwater, Nita Robertson, Lynn Wegley, Stacy Been and Sherri Crosby. Guests included District Governor Nancy Wood, Neal Wood and the day’s speaker, Coach Gillispie.
— Sunshine & Club Business
Lion LouAnn opened the meeting with the Sunshine Report, celebrating the beautiful weather. Lion Sherri shared that the real estate market had been busy, Lion Steve noted he will no longer have to travel to North Dakota in January, and Lion Ashley proudly mentioned her trivia team’s second-place finish over the weekend. Minutes from the previous meeting were approved following a motion by Lion Bob and a second by Lion Stacy. The Tail Twister segment, led by Lion LouAnn, brought some fun as members were quizzed on various National Days.
— Featured Speaker: Coach Gillispie
Lion of the Day Stacy Been introduced her guest, Coach Gillispie, who has served as Henryetta’s Cross Country and Track Coach since 2003. He shared that in all but one of those years, Henryetta has produced state qualifiers, with many athletes advancing to compete at the collegiate level and beyond. Gillispie also celebrated this year’s girls team, which has once again qualified for the state competition and will be competing on Saturday.
— Announcements & Upcoming Events
The club reviewed several community service opportunities and upcoming events:
• Main Street Trick or Treat: Scheduled for Friday, Oct. 31. Volunteers are asked to meet at 3 p.m. outside The Briefcase. Members who haven’t donated money are encouraged to bring a bag of candy.
• Final Bingo Night of the Year: Nov. 8. Proceeds will benefit Lions Meadows of Hope, a foster care agency.
• Eyeglass Program: A new committee presented streamlined guidelines for the club’s eyeglass assistance efforts. A motion to approve the guidelines was made by Lion Steve, seconded by Lion Nita, and passed unanimously.
• Membership Recognition: Lion LouAnn Smith received a Membership Award Pin from Lions International for sponsoring two new members into the club.
• Christmas Basket Applications: The club will accept applications on Nov. 17 at The Briefcase, with more details to come.
• District and State Meetings: District Governor Nancy Wood announced that the next District Cabinet Meeting will take place Nov. 1 at First Baptist Church in Okmulgee, and the State Council Meeting will follow on Nov. 8 in Oklahoma City.
— Meeting Adjournment & Future Programs A motion to adjourn was made by Lion Steve and seconded by Lion LouAnn. The meeting concluded with members expressing enthusiasm for the club’s ongoing service projects and community partnerships.
— Upcoming Lions of the Day & Speaker Schedule • Nov. 6: Starla Bush
• Nov. 13: No meeting – Veterans Day
• Nov. 20: Amber Mordecai
• Nov. 27: No meeting – Thanksgiving
• Dec. 4: Billie Been
• Dec. 11: James Page
• Dec. 18: Neesha Herring
• Dec. 25: No meeting – Christmas – Henryetta Lions Club continues to uphold its mission of community service and civic engagement, bringing together citizens dedicated to improving lives in Henryetta and beyond.
